A veteran of film, television, and the Broadway stage, Golden Globe and Emmy winner Jeffrey Tambor is one of the most iconic and respected character actors of his generation. He has appeared in The Larry Sanders Show, Arrested Development, and The Hangover. He currently stars in Amazon Prime's new hit series, Transparent.

President & CEO of the NAACP, Activist for Civil Rights & Social Justice More +

Cornell William Brooks is the president and CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the nation’s oldest, largest, and most widely respected grassroots-based civil rights organization. As an attorney, activist, congressional candidate, and pastor, Brooks has spoken before congregations of diverse faiths, as well as the United Nations Sub-Committee on Discrimination, business organizations, bar associations, labor unions, civil rights groups, schools, and colleges in the U.S. and Europe.

Best known as the author of the New York Times bestseller The Butler: A Witness to History, Wil Haygood is a distinguished writer whose career has spanned decades. He was an associate producer on the film adaptation of his book, The Butler, which starred Academy Award winners Forest Whittaker, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Robin Williams, Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Fonda, as well as the incomparable Oprah Winfrey.

Grace (Gealey) Byers can currently be seen as Anika Calhoun on the hit FOX series Empire, which returns for season three in the fall of 2016. From having near-death experiences to growing up in a unique family setting, Byers shares her personal philosophies with audiences.

When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left the NBA in 1989 at age 42, no player had ever scored more points, blocked more shots, won more Most Valuable Player Awards, played in more All-Star Games or logged more seasons, but his most important triumph was beating cancer.

Acclaimed author Wes Moore is a veteran, Rhodes Scholar and the founder of BridgeEDU. His most recent book, The Work, debuted at No. 15 on the New York Times Best Seller List and is a collection of, “…incredibly valuable lessons about what it means to create lives that matter…[it is] a way of exploring the meaning of success in a volatile, difficult, and seemingly anchorless world.” A successful and sought-after speaker, Moore entrances audiences with his infectious zest for life.

Sean Astin is an American film actor, director, voice artist and producer, best known for his film roles as Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mikey Walsh in The Goonies and the title character of Rudy. Son of Academy Award winning actress Patty Duke and acclaimed actor John Astin, Astin is a vocal advocate for literacy, mental health awareness, bi-polar disorder, civic engagement and other issues.

Author of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and New York Times Investigative Reporter More +

“A sort of Tina Fey character who unexpectedly finds herself addicted to the adrenaline rush of war.” That’s how The New York Times first described Kim Barker when they reviewed her darkly comic memoir Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (originally published as The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan).

A Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, Kristof is an extraordinary thinker, human rights advocate, and astute chronicler of humanity. As a seasoned journalist who has traveled China, Africa, India, and South Asia, he offers a compassionate glimpse into such issues as global health, poverty and gender in the developing world. He is the co-author of Half the Sky, China Wakes and the recently released A Path Appears.

Named by Essence magazine as one of the 50 most inspiring African Americans in the U.S., Michael Eric Dyson is also a best-selling author, one of the nation's most renowned public intellectuals, and he has revitalized the title with the fervor of an ordained Baptist minister. Called “a street fighter in a suit and tie,” he takes on the toughest and most controversial issues of the day, including race, politics and pop culture, with his fearless and fiery rhetoric.

Combining a moving life story, an exceptional career, incomparable insights, and a powerful presence, John Quiñones has emerged as one of the most inspiring keynotes in the speaking world today. His moving presentations focus on his odds-defying journey, celebrate the life-changing power of education, champion the Latino American Dream, and provide thought-provoking insights into human nature and ethical behavior.

One of America’s most provocative public intellectuals, Cornel West has been a champion for racial justice since childhood. His writing, speaking and teaching weave together the traditions of the Black Baptist Church, progressive politics and jazz.

Jeffrey Tambor

Mayim Bialik

Cornell William Brooks

Wil Haygood

Grace (Gealey) Byers

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Wes Moore

Sean Astin

Kim Barker

Nicholas Kristof

Michael Eric Dyson

David Pogue

John Quiñones

Herman Boone

Dr. Cornel West

College / Campus Speakers & Programs

The APB Advantage for Colleges, Universities & Secondary Schools

The American Program Bureau (APB) began in the tumultuous 1960s when founder Robert P. Walker created the first college speakers bureau / lecture agency. APB exclusively represented speakers like Martin Luther King, Jr., Julian Bond, Ralph Nader, Jane Fonda and many other prominent voices of the time, who dealt with such hard-pressing issues as civil rights and the war in Vietnam. Maintaining this tradition, APB continues to be the nation's pre-eminent source for exclusive speakers on national, diversity, and global issues.

From our experienced program consultants to our full-service travel and client services department, it is our goal to work hand-in-hand with you to create successful programs that will impress, intrigue, and engage an audience, ultimately making you look your best.

We look forward to working with you. Call or contact us today to start planning your next event!

Veteran broadcast journalist Dan Rather's new book, Rather Outspoken: My Life in the News, was released on Tuesday, May 1. This fascinating memoir offers a look into the important and history-making events that Rather has covered over the years, from the assassination of John F. Kennedy to Abu Ghraib.

Today, April 24, New York Times best-selling author and APB speaker Joe Pantoliano's new book, Asylum: Hollywood Tales from My Great Depression: Brain Dis-Ease, Recovery, and Being My Mother's Son, was released.

On Friday, April 13, former Prime Minister of Canada and APB speaker Kim Campbell appeared on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher along with fellow guests David Stockman, Matthew Continetti, Tavis Smiley, and Eric Klinenberg. Prompted by host Bill Maher, the group discussed a wide range of topics including the war on women, the US economy, the Trayvon Martin case, and the difference between US and Canadian politics.

Congratulations to the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Unguarded, which has received two Sports Emmy nominations! Unguarded, the story of former NBA player and APB speaker Chris Herren, was nominated in the categories of Outstanding Sports Documentary and Outstanding Editing.

Facebook co-founder and APB speaker Chris Hughes purchased reputed political magazine The New Republic. The 28-year-old entrepreneur said he intends on updating the magazine's web and mobile presence on tablet computers such as the iPad. In a time in which many news outlets prefer broadcasting abbreviated and aggregated news, Hughes seeks to revitalize long-form journalism.

Speakers & Programs for Every Event on Campus

Known for our creative ideas and contemporary programming, we are here to help you find the perfect speaker. No matter what type of event you are planning for your campus, APB has helped build successful programs for every occasion, including:

Unlike other speakers bureaus, we have content specialists that have a unique understanding of each market they serve. Our experienced, attentive, and knowledgeable agents are the best at creatively pairing the right speakers with the right programs to ultimately create a remarkable event.